News for Restaurants in Orange County, CA December 2015 Archive

The juggernaut Orange County-based quick-service eatery Slapfish has opened up its latest OC location. Situated in the Village at La Floresta retail center in Brea, the venue will serve up concept creator/executive chef Andrew Gruel’s popular array of sustainable seafood creations, ranging from lobster rolls to the poutine-like chowder fries. This marks the fifth county-based location for the restaurant, which also has outposts in Huntington Beach, Newport Beach, Irvine and Laguna Beach. Lunch & Dinner daily. Slapfish, The Village at La Floresta, 3405 E. Imperial Hwy., Brea, CA 92823, 657-444-2291.

Ola Mexican Kitchen has officially opened at Huntington Beach’s new retail and dining center Pacific City. Set against a view of Surf City’s legendary coastline, the venue features a menu in which traditional Mexican comfort food and regional fare are presented in an elevated form, from sautéed lobster tacos served on blue corn tortillas to Jidori chicken mole. These dishes can be paired with margaritas, beers or a selection from their Napa/Sonoma-heavy wine list. Lunch & Dinner daily.

The restaurant collective behind True Food Kitchen has made their second foray into Orange County with the launch of North Italia in Irvine. Located in the bustling Park Place business and entertainment complex, the restaurant features a menu built on a foundation of Northern Italian-style cuisine, including pizzas, salads and several dishes crafted with pasta made in-house daily. A compact list of Italian and Pacific Coast wines are also available. North Italia, Park Plaza, 2957 Michelson Dr., Irvine, CA 92612, 949-629-7060.

Amar Santana, executive chef and owner of Laguna Beach’s Broadway by Amar Santana, has opened a second restaurant. The new venue, Vaca, is across the way from South Coast Plaza in Costa Mesa. The restaurant marks a return to Costa Mesa for Santana, who built up a solid following among dining patrons as executive chef at Charlie Palmer’s at Bloomingdale’s South Coast Plaza. Vaca, 695 Town Center Dr., Costa Mesa, CA 92626, 714-463-6060.

Fermented food purveyor Farm & Culture Co. is open for business in Costa Mesa’s popular dining and retail spot OC Mix. The unique fast-casual spot specializes in shining the spotlight on the complex flavors and singular health benefits behind fermented cuisine, from seasonally cultivated dishes like vegan kimchi to broths and natural sodas locally crafted from filtered water and kombucha cultures. Lunch & Dinner daily.

The seafood restaurant Ways & Means is slated to return to Orange County. The venue, which had closed its lone Orange location in October 2014, is going to be located in Huntington Beach’s Pacific City shopping and dining complex. As was the case in the old location, executive chef Justin Odegard will be overseeing a seafood-centric menu with an emphasis on fresh, sustainable products and “ocean to table” motifs. Guests will also be able to enjoy oceanfront views with seasonal cocktails and selections from a globally inspired wine list. Dinner nightly. Ways & Means Oyster House, Pacific City, 21022 Pacific Coast Hwy., Huntington Beach, CA 92648, no phone.

The team behind the Selanne Steak Tavern has opened TS Gourmet Shoppe, a cozy specialty food store located next to the popular Laguna Beach restaurant. The store will feature cut-to-order, sustainable steaks and chops prepared by Selanne’s executive chef, Joshua Severson, and his trained butchering team. Patrons will also be able to peruse an array of fresh seafood, assorted cheeses, artisanal delicacies like caviars and sea salts, and farmers' market soups. Additionally, the store will stock several gifts, including apparel and items associated with the restaurant/store co-proprietor and Southern California hockey icon, Teemu Selanne. Selanne Steak Tavern, 1464 S. Coast Hwy., Laguna Beach, CA 92651, 949-715-9881.

The restaurant team behind the popular San Clemente restaurant Vine has unveiled their latest dining concept, Ironwood. The restaurant, which will be located in Laguna Hills, is slated to open in the spring of 2016. Vine’s executive chef, Jared Cook, will also oversee the kitchen, which will feature farm-to-table cuisine made from locally sourced ingredients. The venue will also offer craft cocktails and beers, as well as more than 25 wine selections by the glass. Ironwood, 25200 La Paz Road Ste. 110, Laguna Hills, CA 92653, no phone.